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Auditor General Michael Ferguson found significant gaps in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's food-recall system, which he says is inadequate.

More than seven million kilograms of beef products were recalled from the XL Foods plant in Alberta last year because of an E. coli outbreak. It was the largest meat recall in Canadian history.

An expert panel created to assess the food-safety system at XL Foods found "the CFIA and the firm could have detected the contamination before the beef products were distributed, which would have prevented the recall."

Lack of good record-keeping and a shifting of responsibilities among CFIA employees contributed to confusion in the aftermath of the recall, the auditor general found.

Ferguson says the CFIA's investigation process was proportional to the risk posed — which he says is good — but he also found problems in the investigators' access to information on the food products and their distribution.

The CFIA says it agrees with all the recommendations and is working to implement them.

Auditor general warns of gaps in food safety system

Auditor General Michael Ferguson found significant gaps in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's food-recall system, which he says is inadequate.

More than seven million kilograms of beef products were recalled from the XL Foods plant in Alberta last year because of an E. coli outbreak. It was the largest meat recall in Canadian history.

An expert panel created to assess the food-safety system at XL Foods found "the CFIA and the firm could have detected the contamination before the beef products were distributed, which would have prevented the recall."

Lack of good record-keeping and a shifting of responsibilities among CFIA employees contributed to confusion in the aftermath of the recall, the auditor general found.

Ferguson says the CFIA's investigation process was proportional to the risk posed — which he says is good — but he also found problems in the investigators' access to information on the food products and their distribution.

The CFIA says it agrees with all the recommendations and is working to implement them.